Consumption of contaminated food, unclean water and intake of overdose drugs have been identified as the major causes of various categories of hepatitis in the human body.
This was made known by Dr. Johnson Ogunmade during an Annual Health Seminar and Get-together organized for Ogun State Ministry of Health Community Health Practitioners with the theme “Reducing prevalence of hepatitis disease: Role of Community Health Practitioners” held at NUT hall in Abeokuta the State Capital.
Ogunmade said Hepatitis A which was the commonest among the Five categories in the country was as a result of drug abuse, unclean environment and intake of contaminated food and water, adding that hepatitis B if not quickly diagnosed can kill even faster than HIV/AIDs and can easily be transmitted through body fluid.
”Hepatitis C and D can be transmitted through unprotected sex and blood transfusion respectively while that of hepatitis E could be transmitted through waterborne diseases, the symptoms to watch out for all categories hepatitis include fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, pale, stooling, abdominal pains, and loss of appetite,” he said
Charging participants to always advise their patients to imbibed good hygiene life style, maintain the cleaner environment, avoid the intake of contaminated food, washing of fruits before consumption and stay away from under cooked food, Dr. Ogunmade said that hepatitis disease can be greatly reduced when people imbibed the habit of regular hand watching.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN) Ogun State Ministry of Health Branch, Mr. Afuape Olusola said the training was aimed at eradicating hepatitis in the state, saying that to accomplish it, campaign against hepatitis must start from the Community Health workers who are closer to the rural dwellers.
According to him ” Community health workers are most close to the rural dwellers and our concerns should be on disease prevention and control if we are to achieve health for all citizens
Late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti said and ” Primary health will not succeed unless the Community Health workers possess the required skill, knowledge and rightly positioned to take full ownership of primary health care activities”.
Afuape said apart from the fact that hepatitis is more deadly than HIV/AIDS, the theme of the seminar “Reducing the prevalence of hepatitis disease: Role of Community Health Practitioners” has been carefully chosen to further sensitize members of the public on dangers of hepatitis.
